Collapsible dam.



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COLLAPSIBLE DANI.

MPLiCATmN FILED S EPT.21. 1916.

Patented Feb. 19, 12H8.

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T. W. JAYCOX.

coLLAPslBLE DAM.

APFUCATION FILED SEPT. 2l 1916. 1,257,240. Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

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VITNESS; `y ,VENTOR 'l 7"vl ./A Vcox. 7 if. B Au Q) (LUM wv- 1 i R n W u THOMAS W. JAYCOX, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

COLLAPSIBLE DAM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

Application filed September 21, 1916. Serial No. 121,457.

To all whom z't may concern.'

Be it known that I, THOMAS W. JAYoox, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Dams, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to dams or weirs of the type used in raising water of a stream and diverting the same into an irrigation ditch, mill race or other channel.

My invention relates more particularly to the type of diverging dams designed to collapse or drop for the purpose of returning the water of the stream across which it is placed, to its original level in case of floods or other emergencies, and it is the primary object of the invention to provide a mechanism of simple and reliable construction which operates to automatically cause a dam of the character mentioned to fall in sections to a recumbent position when the water 1n the stream across which it is erected, rises beyond a predetermined danger point.

lVith the above object in view, my invention' comprises a dam longitudinally divided into a plurality of sections which are individually movable to a recumbent position when it is desired to lower the water-level of the stream across which the dam is placed, in case of an emergency.

The sections or so-called Hash-boards of the dam are to this end pivoted upon a suitable foundation and are held in a slanting` position upon props or braces with which they are pivotally connected.

The props are at their lower ends supported upon latches which are held in a supporting position by cams on axially alined shaft-sections which extend longitudinally of the dam and are supported for rotation upon suitably constructed boxes.

The shaft-section at one end of the dam has an operating lever placed with relation to an automatic float-controlled mechanism to be partially rotated by action of said mechanism when the ioat thereof is raised by the water rising in the stream across which the dani is placed, to a predetermined danger point.

Each shaft section has in addition to the cam for supporting the above-mentioned latch, a crank arm which is disposed with relation to the prop of the preceding dam-section to be engaged thereby during its downward motion when the section drops to its redam-section upon the shaft section which supports the next adjoining one.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in the various views of which like parts are similarly designated, and in which,

Figure l is a face view of a diversion dam to which my invention is applied, in its operative position across a stream the water of which is to be raised and diverted into an irrigation ditch or other communicating channel,

Fig. 2, a transverse section taken along the line 2`2, Fig. l,

F ig. 3, a section taken along the line 3 3, Fig. l,

Fig. an elevation of the adjoining ends of two of the shaft-sections upon which the props of the flash-boards of which the dam is composed, are supported, and

Fig. 5, a cross-section along the line 5 5, Fig. Ll.

In the drawings the reference numeral 2 designates a concrete foundation structure which as usual is erected in the stream to support the dam and-protect the operating mechanism of the same.

The dam is composed of a plurality of sections or flash-boards 3 which at their lower ends are mounted inboxes a' secured upon the floor of the supporting structure to move pivotally about longitudinally alined axes.

Each dam-section is composed of boards assembled in a frame of structural metal and is supported in its normal slanting position as shown in Fig. 2, upon a prop 5 which is likewise made of structural metal and which is pivotally connected with the dam-section adjacent the upper end thereof.

The longitudinally alined shaft-sections 6 are rotatably supported in suitably constructed bearings upon the floor of the concrete structure and their adjoining ends extend in boxes 8 which are placed transversely of the dam-structure to guide and receive the props of the dam-sections during their downward movement.

The prop of each dam-section is supported upon a latch 9 pivoted on a bracket 7 at the inner end of the respective box and this latch is locked in its normal supporting position upon a cam 10 at the end of one of the shaft-sections which extend within the respective box.

lThe end of the next adjoining shaft-secicn within the 'same box, has a crank-arm 12 which when the parts are in their normal cooperative positions, extends slantingly beneath the end of the prop and which has a laterally projecting shoulder 13 to be engaged by the prop during downward movement of the respective dam-section when the latch is dropped by rotation of the cam upon which it is supported.

A pin 14 extending transversely in the box above the prop prevents excessive upward movement thereof and a groove 15 cut in one side of the prop provides for the passage of the pin during downward movement of the same.

The initial section of the shaft at one end of the dam has a slanting lever arm 16 Within a chamber 17 made in the concrete structure to house the automatic float controlled operating mechanism hereinbefore referred to.

rlhis mechanism as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, comprises a iioat 18 normally positioned at the bottom of a well 19 which by means of a flume 2O connects with the channel of the stream across which the dam is placed. The Hume opens in the channel of the stream above the normal level of the water at a point which determines the highest level of the water to which it can rise without endangering the surrounding territory.

rlhe float is secured to the lower end of an upright rod 21 which is slidingly mounted in bearings 22 and which at its opposite extremity has a catch 23 to hold a lever Qt in a substantially horizontal position.

The lever which is fulcrumed as at 25, connects with a plunger rod 26 provided with a comparatively heavy weight 27 and 'mounted for downward movement in bearings 28 to engage the lever-arm 16 on the initial shaft-section, above which it is positioned.

When the water in the stream rises to level above the danger point, the well fills with water and the float rising in consequence thereof, releases the lever 2i.

The plunger-rod 26 impelled by gravitation of its weight, drops upon the end of the lever arm 16 on the initial shaft section with the result that the latter is rotated through a determinate arc.

The partial rotation of the initial shaft section turns the cam 10 at its end from under the respective latch 9 which dropsl by movement about its pivot.

The dam-section whose prop is supported upon the latch, is now free to drop and during its downward movement causes the end of its prop to engage the crank-arm 12 on the next adjoining shaft-section which in consequence is compelled to rotate in the same direction as the preceding shaft section.

r:Che partial rotation of the second shaftsection causes the latch which supported the second dam-section to drop and the lastmentioned section being thus released to fall to a recumbent position, actuates the shaftsection which supports the latch of the next dam-section. Y Y

rlhe various sections of which the dam is composed are in this manner compelled to drop in succession and the entire structure is thus rapidly moved to a recumbent position to permit the water 1n the stream to fall lto its natural level.

A leak-pipe '29 connected with the well is provided to empty the same after the operation is completed.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters- Patent is 1. In dam-construction, a series of damsections mounted for movement to a recumbent position, props connected at their upper ends with the dam-sections, a stationary support, latches pivoted on the support and adapted to lock the. dam sections inan elevated position by engagement with the lower ends of their props, a series of rotary shaftsections separately mounted on the support, cams on said shaft-sections normally holding the latches against downward movement about their pivots, crank-arms on the shaft-sections disposed in the paths of the props during movement of the respective dam-sections to a recumbent position, and means for rotating the shaft-section corresponding with the initial dam-section of the series. Y

Y 2. In dam-construction, a series of dam sections mounted for movement to a recumbent position, props connected at their upper ends with the dam-sections, a stationary support, latches pivoted on the support and adapted to lock the dam-sections in an elevated position by engagement with the lower ends of their props, mechanism including means to hold the latches against downward movement about their pivots, and mea-ns to release the same in successive order, and a device for the actuation of said mechanism.

3. In dam-construction, a series of damsections mounted for movement to a recumbent position, props connected at their upper ends with the dam-sections, a stationary support, latches pivoted on the support and adapted to lock the dam-sections in an elevated position by engagement with the lower ends of their props, mechanism including means to hold the latches against downward movement about their pivots, and means which causes each dam-section by its movement to a recumbent position, to release the latch of the next succeeding section, and a device for the actuation of said mechanism to release the latch Which locks the initial dam-Section of the series.

4. In dam-construction, a dam-structure mounted for movement to a recumbent position, mechanism for the support of. said structure in an elevated position, including a rotary releasing-element and a lever arm for the Operation thereof, a float, a lever connected therewith, and an element suspended from said lever above said lever-arm to forcibly engage the same by gravitation When the lever is moved about its fulcrum by upward movement of the float.

' In testimony whereof I have aixed my 15 00pm d thu pliant my bo obtained for ve cents cash, by addressing the Commissioner of latents,

Washington, D. C. 

